Early computers required large amounts of space, occupying whole rooms. Since then minicomputers and desktop computers entered the marketplace.
Popular desktop computers have included the "Apple" (Motorola 680x0 microprocessor-based) and "IBM-compatible" (Intel or other x86 microprocessor-based) varieties, also known as personal computers (PCs) which have become very popular for office and home use. Also, high-end desk top computers called workstations based on a number of superscalar and other very-high-performance microprocessors such as the SuperSPARC microprocessor have been introduced.
In a further development, a notebook-size or palm-top computer is optionally battery powered for portable user applications. Such notebook and smaller computers challenge the art in demands for conflicting goals of miniaturization, ever higher speed, performance and flexibility, and long life between battery recharges. Also, a desktop enclosure called a docking station has the portable computer fit into the docking station, and improvements in such portable-computer/docking-station systems are desirable. However, all these systems are generally CPU-centric in the sense that the selection of the CPU determines the system's processing capabilities and add-in-cards are added to the CPU to add specific applications or functions, such as modem or multimedia.
Software for computers and the processes and concepts for developing and understanding both hardware and software have spawned an intricate terminology. For an introduction, see references hereby incorporated herein by reference, and listed below:
1. The Computer Glossary, by A. Freedman, AMACOM, American Management Association, New York, in various editions up to 1991 and later. PA1 2. Modern Operating Systems, by A. S. Tanenbaum, Prentice-Hall, Englewood Cliffs, N.J. 1992. PA1 3. Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) Bus Specification 2.0, 1993, by PCISIG (Special Interest Group), and its updates. PA1 4. PCI System Architecture, by T. Shanley, Mindshare Press. PA1 5. Microsoft Corporation: publications: PA1 6. Texas Instruments Incorporated: publications
A. DirectSound Hardware Abstraction Layer PA2 B. DirectSound Application Programming Interface (API) PA2 C. Microsoft Windows: Guide to Programming, Software Development Kit. PA2 A. TMS320C5x User's Guide, 1993. PA2 B. TCM320ACXX Voice Band Audio Processor-Application Report
Hitherto, modem, voice, stereo audio, and other interfaces have often been implemented on respective add-in cards with respective software drivers and respective slave bus interfaces. Such system architecture has burdened OEM and business and consuming public with space requirements and financial expense. CPU MIPS are expended on the numerous slave transactions as well.
Improvements in circuits, integrated circuit devices, computer systems of all types, methods and processes of their operation, and software products, to address all the above-mentioned challenges, among others, are desirable, as described herein.